10 top file-sharing services: Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, OneDrive, and more
Most file-sharing services have evolved into full-blown collaboration platforms. We look at 10 online services ranging from basic to enterprise-level.
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Dorsum in the pre-cloud days, sharing files involved using file transfer protocol applications or else copying files to a disc then mailing it or walking it over to a colleague (affectionately known as 'sneakernet'). Emails could likewise be sent (and many people withal employ email as their primary "file-sharing" option), but size limits on attachments and security concerns discouraged this practice.
Today'southward globe of file sharing offers nearly endless options. Giants like Dropbox, Box, Google, Microsoft, and Apple, also every bit smaller companies like MediaFire and Tresorit, all offer online cloud storage options that include file sharing, synchronization beyond multiple devices, and collaboration features. Once y'all have uploaded a file to 1 of these services, file-sharing is as easy as clicking a "share" push button then sending the link to a colleague via email. While nearly offer desktop and mobile applications, users can too upload, store, sync, and share files via a web browser.
The services we've chosen are listed hither in alphabetical social club and cover a range of options, from bones services for consumers to enterprise-level services. This is not an exhaustive list of all services, but rather a sampling of the big players and some lesser-known vendors.
To check file transfer times for each, nosotros uploaded a 245MB Null file using an internet connection with an average upload speed of 86 megabits/second. (Meet "How nosotros tested.")
Box
IDG (Click any image in this story to enlarge it.)
It's most impossible to talk virtually Box without mentioning Dropbox (and vice versa), equally the two are frequently pitted against each other. Box has always been geared toward businesses and enterprises, while Dropbox used to be largely focused on consumers and SMBs. Simply both services at present include enterprise collaboration features and cloud content direction via integrations with Google Workspace, Microsoft 365/Role 365, and many others, along with enterprise-grade security and management options.
There is a free plan for individudals that lets you kick the tires — it offers 10GB of storage, a 250MB file upload limit, and the power to share these files with limited permissions. The file upload size limit is a bit strict if yous are trying to share video files, just the 10GB storage limit is still pretty generous. Additionally, all of Box's business plans offer a 14-twenty-four hours free trial.
Gratis account storage infinite: 10GB
Free account max file size: 250MB
Paid accounts : Personal Pro, 100GB storage, $10/month; Business Starter, 100GB storage, $5/user/calendar month; Business concern, unlimited storage, $15/user/month; Business organisation Plus, unlimited storage, $25/user/month; Enterprise, unlimited storage, $35/user/month; Enterprise Plus, unlimited storage, custom pricing. (All business organisation plans require at least 3 users. Prices shown are for almanac payments.)
Paid account max file size: Personal Pro, 5GB; Business Starter, 2GB; Business organization, 5GB; Business Plus, 15GB; Enterprise, 50GB, Enterprise Plus, 150GB.
Additional features with concern plans: Built-in integrations with Slack (as well as Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace), plus 1 boosted enterprise app integration; Box Sign (unlimited e-signatures via web app); Box Relay (workflow automation); data loss protection; two-cistron authentication; SSO; Active Directory integration; other user direction features. Higher-level plans offer additional enterprise app integrations; HIPAA/FedRAMP compliance; certificate watermarking; AI-powered threat detection; more.
Time to upload 245MB file: 35 seconds
Citrix ShareFile
IDG ShareFile, which Citrix acquired in 2011, creates a custom file-sharing site for your business, so you tin can share files easily with clients, partners, co-workers, and others. For case, your accountant might employ ShareFile to deeply share tax documents with you. The service offers lots of compelling features and tools for business organisation users, including workflow management, certificate collaboration, e-signatures, and integration with Outlook and Gmail.
Security is robust, besides, with enterprise-grade encryption and customizable permissions settings. The ShareFile dashboard makes it easy to add new users and toggle betwixt personal and shared folders. Full-featured apps are available for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. There is no free programme, simply y'all can effort the Premium version for complimentary for 30 days without having to enter a credit card number. The company too offers a virtual data room for 5 employee users, which offers advanced security, sharing, and control for sensitive information.
Costless business relationship storage space: Northward/A
Free business relationship max file size: N/A
Paid accounts : Standard, unlimited storage, $fifty/month; Avant-garde, unlimited storage, $77/month; Premium, unlimited storage, $122/calendar month; Virtual Data Room, 5GB storage, $338/month. All plans are for upward to 5 employee users (additional employee user fees are $10–$24/user/month) and unlimited client users. (Prices shown are for annual payments.)
Paid account max file size: Standard, Advanced, and Premium, 100GB; Virtual Data Room, 5GB.
Other paid options include: Feedback and approvals workflow; activity logs; versioning; third-political party integrations including Microsoft 365/Office 365 collaboration.
Time to upload 245MB file: 1 minute, 38 seconds
Dropbox
IDG As previously mentioned, Dropbox and Box are big players in the business market, offering enterprise-level security and management features as well every bit a healthy ecosystem of integrated 3rd-party apps that brand the services more robust. Both accept continually evolved and improved to the signal that, for nearly organizations, either i is a peachy option.
In recent years, Dropbox has been adding features aimed at boosting productivity and collaboration, such as the ability to create Microsoft Office or Google Docs/Sheets/Slides files from within Dropbox and a new shared Spaces interface for squad collaboration.
To endeavor before you buy, Dropbox's free Basic plan for individuals offers 2GB of storage. A 30-day free trial is available for all business plans.
Free account storage infinite: 2GB
Free account max file size: No limit, but must be smaller than your storage infinite quota.
Paid accounts : Personal plans include Plus (i user, 2TB storage, $x per month) and Family (upward to vi users, 2TB shared storage, $17/month). Work plans include Professional (1 user, 3TB storage, $16.threescore/month); Standard (3+ users, 5TB storage, $12.fifty/user/month); Advanced (iii+ users, unlimited storage, $twenty/user/month). For enterprise plans, contact Dropbox Sales. (Prices shown are for almanac payments.)
Additional features with concern plans: 180 days of file recovery and version history, 180-24-hour interval history for Dropbox Rewind (recover from accidents/ransomware by reversing changes at folder or account level), remote device wipe, 2-factor authentication, document watermarking, shared link controls, file locking, branded sharing, priority email support, and alive chat support. College-level plans offer HIPAA compliance, an admin console, SSO integration, audit logs, more.
Time to upload 245MB file: 56 seconds
Google Drive
IDG If you're already invested in the Google ecosystem, Google Drive is a no-brainer, since it integrates with Google's productivity apps, such as Google Docs. Fifty-fifty if you don't utilize other Google services, Google Drive is worth considering, every bit it gives users 15GB of free storage (shared with other Google services). Its rates are likewise competitive — 200GB costs individuals just $xxx/yr.
With the Backup and Sync desktop customer, y'all tin can choose which of your Windows or macOS calculator folders to continually sync to Google Drive — y'all don't have to keep files in a designated folder, equally you do with some services. Permissions on shared files tin can get complicated — we've often shared a link with colleagues merely to go a response proverb that they can't access the file. Simply in one case you tin can access a file, collaborating on documents in real time through Google's other productivity apps is as good as it gets.
Across the 15GB free plan, Drive is bachelor to individuals through a Google One plan. Businesses can opt for either a Google Workspace programme, which includes Drive, Gmail, Calendar, Docs, and other productivity/collaboration apps, or Workspace Essentials, which includes all of the above except Gmail and Calendar. A 14-twenty-four hours costless trial is bachelor for business concern plans.
Costless account storage infinite: 15GB
Free account max file size: 5TB (with some exceptions)
Paid accounts: Google 1 plans for individuals: 100GB, $two/month; 200GB, $iii/month; 2TB, $10/month; 10TB, $l/calendar month; 20TB, $100/calendar month; 30TB, $150/calendar month. Google Workspace Essentials plans for businesses: 100GB per user/2TB pooled cloud storage, $8/user/month. Google Workspace plans for businesses: Business Starter: 30GB storage per user, $vi/user/month; Business Standard: 2TB storage per user, $12/user/month; Business concern Plus: 5TB storage per user, $18/user/month; Enterprise (300+ users): unlimited storage, contact sales for pricing.
Additional features with business plans: Security and direction controls, 24/7 phone and e-mail support, centralized admin console, audit and reporting. College-level plans offer avant-garde endpoint management, information loss prevention, context-aware admission, more.
Time to upload 245MB file: 48 seconds
iCloud Drive
IDG Anyone who owns a Mac, iPhone, or iPad probable already has the free 5GB of online storage via iCloud that comes with the creation of an AppleID, and those users tin can share folders and documents with other iCloud users. Although Apple tree does offer an iCloud app for Windows, it'southward likely that this mainly benefits Apple users who too use a Windows PC; we don't really see people who are primarily Windows users signing up for an iCloud account to use the service, particularly because iCloud does not accept an Android app. Android device users could admission iCloud via the web app, simply they would likely apply Google'south online cloud storage to back up their photos and videos anyway.
As with other online storage services, users can ready iCloud to automatically back up and sync specific folders from their estimator to their iCloud account, such as the Documents folder, Desktop binder, or others. Photos and videos from an iPhone or iPad can also exist automatically synchronized. Using this characteristic can chop-chop eat up the 5GB of gratuitous infinite, and then it's probable that anyone using iCloud for such purposes would upgrade to a paid account. At $iii per calendar month for 200GB, it'southward still a relatively proficient bargain for the Apple tree faithful.
While iCloud users can use their personal accounts to share files with colleagues (and those files are encrypted in transit and at rest), this is essentially a consumer service.
Gratis account storage space: 5GB
Free account max file size: 5GB in theory, as long as it doesn't exceed storage limits.
Paid accounts : 50GB, $1 per month; 200GB, $three/calendar month; 2TB, $10/month. Apple allows these plans to be shared with family members (up to five other members). Those who subscribe to Apple services such equally Apple Music or Apple tree TV+ may besides be able to save coin through Apple One bundling.
Paid account max file size 50GB, as long as it doesn't exceed storage limits.
Boosted features with paid plans: Upgrading your storage amount doesn't give you additional features, dissimilar with other online storage services.
Fourth dimension to upload 245MB file: 1 infinitesimal, 56 seconds
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